NEW YORK (Reuters) - A year ago Kaia Kanepi was reading books, walking her dog and trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life.
After a tidy 6-4 6-4 win over Russian Daria Kasatkina put her into the U.S. Open quarter-finals on Monday, the 418th ranked Estonian is now trying to figure out a way to beat Elina Svitolina or Madison Keys .
Kanepi had been battling with painful plantar fasciitis in both feet and a bout with the debilitating Epstein-Barr virus and was contemplating giving up tennis altogether.
Aside from a challenger in Germany and failed bids to qualify for Wimbledon and a WTA Tour event in Romania, the U.S. Open was her only other tournament this year.
Last year Kanepi's lone main draw appearance in four WTA level tournaments came in Rabat where she fell in the first round, a marked contrast to when she was once ranked 15th and made five grand slam quarter-finals.
- I'm amazed I'm this good, says world number 418 KanepiYahoo Sports
- Ranked 418th, Estonia's Kanepi reaches US Open quarterfinalsWashington Post
- World number 418 Kanepi reaches US Open quarter-finalsTimes of India
- Lessons Learned on Frosty Roads Help Estonian Kaia Kanepi Gain Traction at US OpenNew York Times
- Qualifier Kaia Kanepi Reaches US Open QuarterfinalsTennis Panorama
- US Open 2017: After defeat, Naomi Osaka gets 'stupid question' in press conferenceThe Indian Express
- Osaka's run ends in third roundThe Japan Times
- LIVE Daria Kasatkina - Kaia Kanepi US Open women - 4 September 2017Eurosport.com
- Kanepi, comeback queen of the ice ageGulf Today
